RM 011 Flyback Chronograph

The RM 011 debuts in 2007 as an automatic flyback chronograph, developed in collaboration with Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa, then racing for Scuderia Ferrari. The caliber RMAC1 introduces a variable-geometry rotor — which allows the oscillating mass to be adjusted according to the owner's driving style or use — paired with a flyback chronograph function, a 60-minute countdown, a 12-hour totalizer and an annual calendar with date and month readable in large windows. It is immediately a manifesto of the brand's motor-racing inspiration: the tonneau case with curved bezel, flanks and case back, the aerodynamic pushers with anti-slip ribbing and the crown designed to resemble a tire around a spoked rim all translate the language of racing cars into watchmaking.

Over the years the RM 011 has been offered in an extremely wide range of materials and editions, a sign of its central role in the catalog: titanium, gold, ceramic, Carbon TPT, silicon nitride and even a red Quartz TPT. Among the most celebrated versions are the one designed with Philippe Starck for the Only Watch 2007 charity auction (sold for 320,000 euros), the Le Mans Classic editions tied to the brand's long-running partnership with the historic car event, and several series dedicated personally to Felipe Massa, alongside collaborations with Formula 1 teams such as Lotus. With the subsequent evolution of the designation, culminating in the RM 11-03 and its many McLaren editions, the RM 011 has over time become the brand's best-selling and most immediately associated reference, often described as the model through which most collectors first enter the Richard Mille world.

Its commercial success has not dampened its technical ambition: every new series has continued to introduce new materials or finishes, from raw titanium to the most recent composites, keeping the RM 011 constantly up to date with the leading-edge materials the brand has developed over time for its other lines.